Books like 'Spectacular Things'
Readers who enjoyed Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary north-america usa maine literary-fiction family coming-of-age friendship
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Nantucket Jubilee by Katie Winters
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt's time for the Nantucket Jubilee— an iconic celebration that calls back the most secretive of the Copperfield children, Ella.Twenty-five years ago, Quentin, Julia, and Alana fled The Copperfield House, leaving Greta and Ella alone— feeling completely abandoned.But it wasn’t the first time.Abandonment, as it turns out, has been the theme of Ella’s life. And she doesn’t even know it, yet... -
![Not My Daughter by Kate Hewitt]()
Not My Daughter by Kate Hewitt
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAnna’s hands tense on Alice and she hesitates. In that endless pause, I see all I need to know. She doesn’t want to give Alice to me – not now, and not ever. And part of me doesn’t even blame her… Milly always dreamed of being a mother. Adopted herself, she has always imagined a powerful intimate connection with a child of her own... -
![Fragile Hearts by the Loch by Hannah Ellis]()
Fragile Hearts by the Loch by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow long does it take to mend a broken heart?Jess expects life on the Isle of Skye to be calm and peaceful. But when she falls for her colleague things quickly become complicated. Rory comes with a whole load of baggage, but she just can’t seem to stay away from him. When Elspeth is forced to take a break from work, she evaluates what her future holds... -
![Retuned: The Price of Time by Tania Joyce]()
Retuned: The Price of Time by Tania Joyce
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA vacation. An unforgettable accident. Lives are changed forever.Gemma and Kyle wanted a quick getaway before they recorded their new album.But one fateful mistake changes their lives forever.Heartbreaking decisions must be made.Friendships will be tried and tested...Categorized as:
literary-fiction coming-of-age friendship contemporary fiction romance new-adult female-mc -
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![Impossible to Forget by Imogen Clark]()
Impossible to Forget by Imogen Clark
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn this poignant novel from million-copy bestselling author Imogen Clark, an extraordinary final wish brings five lives together forever. Just turned eighteen, Romany is on the cusp of taking her first steps into adulthood when tragedy strikes, and she finds herself suddenly alone without her mother, Angie, the only parent she has ever known...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship family literary-fiction fiction contemporary womens-fiction audiobook -
![Fireworks over the Loch by Hannah Ellis]()
Fireworks over the Loch by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA sleepy Scottish village is about to be woken up … With her boyfriend moving to her hometown of Lannick, Leana Mackenzie is floating on cloud nine. All she needs now is for them to find a home of their own. Alasdair’s lack of interest in house-hunting soon has her worried.For Isla and Logan, moving in together is the logical next step in their relationship... -
![Hard Land by Benedict Wells]()
Hard Land by Benedict Wells
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsMissouri, 1985: Um vor den Problemen zu Hause zu fliehen, nimmt der fünfzehnjährige Sam einen Ferienjob in einem alten Kino an. Und einen magischen Sommer lang ist alles auf den Kopf gestellt. Er findet Freunde, verliebt sich und entdeckt die Geheimnisse seiner Heimatstadt. Zum ersten Mal ist er kein unscheinbarer Außenseiter mehr. Bis etwas passiert, das ihn zwingt, erwachsen zu werden... -
![Finding Home on Whisling Island by Julia Clemens]()
Finding Home on Whisling Island by Julia Clemens
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFive women. Five beautiful stories. Follow the women of Whisling as they navigate life searching for peace, hope, and home.Olivia was sure she'd endured the last of Bart's torment, but he's back. And Olivia isn't sure she has what it takes to stand up to him once again. But she has to. Because this time, if Olivia falters, she won't be the one to suffer. No, the suffering will fall on her girls... -
![How to Read a Book: A Novel by Monica Wood]()
How to Read a Book: A Novel by Monica Wood
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA charming, deeply moving novel about second chances, unlikely friendships, and the life-changing power of sharing stories.Our Reasons meet us in the morning and whisper to us at night... -
![অপেক্ষা by Humayun Ahmed]()
অপেক্ষা by Humayun Ahmed
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsমানুষের জীবন কি চক্রের মত? চক্রের কোন শুরু নেই, শেষ নেই। মানব জীবনও কি তাই? রহস্যময় চক্রের ভেতর এই জীবন ঘুরপাক খেতে থাকে? শুরু নেই, শেষ নেই। চক্র ঘুরছে।এই চক্রের ভেতরে ঘুরপাক খেতে খেতে অপেক্ষা করে কেউ কেউ। কিংবা সকলেই কিসের... -
![Red Mountain Rising by Boo Walker]()
Red Mountain Rising by Boo Walker
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhat do you do when it all comes crashing down?Boo Walker has returned to wine country for the sequel to his powerful, best-selling novel, Red Mountain. Join four wildly colorful characters as they search for life, love, and meaning in a tiny wine-growing region in the desert of eastern Washington State... -
![In Little Stars by Linda Green]()
In Little Stars by Linda Green
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn a divided northern England, love and hate are about to collide . . .Sylvie and Donna travel on the same train to work each day but have never spoken. Their families are on different sides of the bitter Brexit divide, although the tensions and arguments at home give them much in common... -
![All The Colours In Between by Eva Jordan]()
All The Colours In Between by Eva Jordan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEva Jordan's much-anticipated follow up to the bestselling 183 Times a Year It's not a life, it's an adventure! Lizzie is fast approaching 50. Her once angst ridden teenage daughters, now grown and in their twenties, have flown the nest, Cassie to London and Maisy to Australia... -
![Daughters of Wild Rose Bay by Susanne O'Leary]()
Daughters of Wild Rose Bay by Susanne O'Leary
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA heart-warming page-turner set on the Irish coast, where secrets hide, romance is waiting and there is every chance to make a new beginning… Jasmine Delon feels completely lost: having just broken up with the man she thought was the love of her life, all she knows is that she can’t face living alone in her empty apartment in Paris... -
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![True Biz by Sara Nović]()
True Biz by Sara Nović
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsTRUE BIZ (adj./exclamation; American Sign Language): really, seriously, definitely, real-talkTrue biz? The students at the River Valley School for the Deaf just want to hook up, pass their history finals, and have politicians, doctors, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies...Categorized as:
literary-fiction coming-of-age family friendship fiction contemporary disability audiobook -
![Begging for Change by Sharon G. Flake]()
Begging for Change by Sharon G. Flake
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIs there greed in Raspberry Hill's genes? In this sequel to Coretta Scott King Honor Book MONEY HUNGRY, once-homeless Raspberry Hill vows never to end up on the streets again. It's been a year since Raspberry's mother threw her hard-earned money out the window like trash, so to Raspberry money equals security and balance. And she's determined to do anything to achieve it...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship north-america usa children-books contemporary fiction -
![Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession, John Hopkins]()
Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession, John Hopkins
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsLeonard and Hungry Paul are two friends who see the world differently. They use humour, board games and silence to steer their way through the maelstrom that is the 21st century.‘The figure in Munch’s painting isn’t actually screaming!’ Hungry Paul said. ‘Really, are you sure?’ Replied Leonard. ‘Absolutely. That’s the whole thing. The figure is actually closing his ears to block outa scream...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship literary-fiction 21st-century adult anthologies audiobook -
![Love Still Stands by Kelly Irvin]()
Love Still Stands by Kelly Irvin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsReaders of Kelly Irvin's Bliss Creek Amish novels will be overjoyed to discover her new series for lovers of Amish fiction: The New Hope Amish. In the first installment, Love Still Stands, a group of dedicated families leaves Bliss Creek to establish a new community in Missouri. Among them is Bethel Graber, a beautiful young woman with a passion for teaching... -
![My Lame Life: Queen of the Misfits by Jen Mann]()
My Lame Life: Queen of the Misfits by Jen Mann
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Jen Mann has written a hilarious and heartwarming story for fans of Meg Cabot and Rainbow Rowell. My name is Plum Parrish, I'm fourteen, and I'm pretty sure I'm invisible. Not like super power invisible, more like loser invisible. There's a big difference... -
![The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella]()
The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThree generations of Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant, and Jack has been at the helm since his father's death. He puts the demands of the restaurant above all else, with a string of failed relationships, no hobbies, and no days off as proof of his commitment to the place. He can’t remember the last time he sat on the beach or enjoyed a moment to himself... -
![Children of Ever After by Avery Yearwood]()
Children of Ever After by Avery Yearwood
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the heart of West Philadelphia, two women's lives collide in a heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and unexpected redemption.Brittney, a young mother abandoned by her children's father, struggles to raise three children in an apartment she can barely afford... -
![The Cajun Doctor by Sandra Hill]()
The Cajun Doctor by Sandra Hill
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNew York Times Bestselling Author Sandra Hill delivers another Tante Lulu Adventure as twin brothers leave Alaska to discover their Cajun rootsDr. Daniel LeDeux and pilot Aaron LeDeux travel to the swampy bayous of Louisiana, where they discover a long-lost family... -
![After Tonight, Everything Will Be Different by Adam Gnade]()
After Tonight, Everything Will Be Different by Adam Gnade
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFalling somewhere between Trainspotting and Like Water for Chocolate, Adam Gnade’s self-described “food novel” frames each chapter around a meal, and from there moves wild in all directions. After Tonight, Everything Will Be Different takes place in San Diego taco shops and rundown beach apartments, on the amusement park boardwalk at 3am and in cars bound for Tijuana and drunken glory...Categorized as:
north-america usa coming-of-age literary-fiction california urban fiction contemporary -
![The Farmhouse: A Hickory Grove Novel by Elizabeth Bromke]()
The Farmhouse: A Hickory Grove Novel by Elizabeth Bromke
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA desperate hairdresser. Her handsome friend. And a farmhouse full of secrets. When Maggie Devereux is served an unexpected eviction notice, everything falls apart. Out of options, the nearly divorced forty-something stumbles across an unopened letter regarding her late aunt's estate: a ramshackle farmhouse on the outskirts of town... -
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![Jewelweed by David Rhodes]()
Jewelweed by David Rhodes
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWith Jewelweed this beloved author returns to the same out-of-the-way community as Driftless and introduces a cast of characters who must overcome the burdens left by the past. After serving time for a dubious conviction, Blake Bookchester is paroled... -
![Chances Are by Kellie Coates Gilbert]()
Chances Are by Kellie Coates Gilbert
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsChances are, you never know what story might be in the very next chapter...When recently divorced Allie Barrett receives a letter notifying her that she’s inherited her deceased uncle’s home and fishing charter business in Oregon, she quickly decides the coastal town of Pacific Bay might be the perfect place to start over and raise her eleven-year-old son... -
![Sunset on Whisling Island by Julia Clemens]()
Sunset on Whisling Island by Julia Clemens
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsJust off the coast of Washington state, a visit to beautiful Whisling Island will change you. Its residents will give you reasons to laugh, cry, and rejoice. Bess Wilder's entire life changes with one sentence: "I'm so sorry, Bess." Her husband, Jon, has betrayed her, and she isn't sure what to do or feel. Her entire life was dedicated to Jon and her children... -
![Cómplices by Taibo]()
Cómplices by Taibo
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsJulián ha luchado contra el aburrimiento de todas las maneras posibles. Desde que le diagnosticaron hepatitis, ha recreado en su cabeza conversaciones imaginarias entre ostras que no tienen nada que hacer, ha buscado formas fantasiosas en las manchas de la pared, ha lanzado mocos al aire. Pero es feliz porque no tiene que ir a la escuela... -
![They're Going to Love You by Meg Howrey]()
They're Going to Love You by Meg Howrey
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA magnetic tale of betrayal, art, and ambition, set in the world of professional ballet, New York City during the AIDS crisis, and present-day Los AngelesCarlisle Martin dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer just like her mother, Isabel, a former Balanchine ballerina...Categorized as:
literary-fiction coming-of-age family north-america usa fiction historical-fiction contemporary -
![Caitlin's Lucky Charm by Lisa Schroeder]()
Caitlin's Lucky Charm by Lisa Schroeder
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFour best friends, one lucky bracelet, and an utterly charming new middle-grade series!Caitlin would stay at summer camp forever if she could. Her new best friends in the world, Hannah, Mia, and Libby are there... -
![The Celebrants by Steven Rowley]()
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Big Chill for our times, celebrating decades-long friendships and promises--especially to ourselves--by the bestselling and beloved author of The Guncle. It's been a minute--or five years--since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began... -
![The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson]()
The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDarcy believes in love at first sight. Even though it’s never happened to her, she’s spent her whole life waiting for that magical moment, hoping that when she meets the right guy, everything will fall into place perfectly.But right now, her life is anything but perfect. Heading home from a music festival, engine trouble means she’s stranded at a Nevada bus station until morning... -
![The Orchard by Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry]()
The Orchard by Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFour teenagers grow inseparable in the last days of the Soviet Union—but not all of them will live to see the new world arrive in this powerful debut novel, loosely based on Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard.Coming of age in the USSR in the 1980s, best friends Anya and Milka try to envision a free and joyful future for themselves...Categorized as:
literary-fiction friendship family coming-of-age historical-fiction fiction contemporary retellings -
![At Bluebonnet Lake by Amanda Cabot]()
At Bluebonnet Lake by Amanda Cabot
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMarketing maven Kate Sherwood’s world is fast-paced, challenging, and always changing. The last thing she wants to do is slow down to a crawl at Rainbow’s End, a dilapidated resort in the Texas Hill Country. But she cannot deny her ailing grandmother’s request to visit the place where she and her deceased husband spent one glorious week (albeit fifty years ago)... -
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![The Love We Left Behind by Katherine Slee]()
The Love We Left Behind by Katherine Slee
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA heartbreaking, heartwarming story of two best friends—and the choices that could tear them apart.London, 2012. With her adoring fiancé, financial independence and a close-knit group of friends, Erika should have life all figured out—but she can’t shake the feeling that there’s something missing... -
![Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn]()
Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Secret: Everybody in Jessica's English class makes fun of Daphne. She never says a word to anyone -- just walks around with her nose in a book, with her long straggly hair hanging over her face. Now the worst thing has happened... -
![Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly]()
Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“A powerful and thought-provoking story.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review) “An emotionally resonant story about authenticity and belonging.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A raw, real exploration of belonging that’s also sweetly hopeful.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) Every day in Fawn Creek, Louisiana, is exactly the same—until Orchid Mason arrives... -
![Lessons by Ian McEwan]()
Lessons by Ian McEwan
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhen the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has closed, eleven-year-old Roland Baines's life is turned upside down. Two thousand miles from his mother's protective love, stranded at an unusual boarding school, his vulnerability attracts piano teacher Miss Miriam Cornell, leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family coming-of-age fiction historical-fiction audiobook contemporary book -
![Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley]()
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsKiara and her brother, Marcus, are scraping by in an East Oakland apartment complex optimistically called the Regal-Hi. Both have dropped out of high school, their family fractured by death and prison... -
![Misophonia by Dana Vowinckel]()
Misophonia by Dana Vowinckel
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPart coming-of-age tale, part family saga, an extraordinary debut novel set between Berlin, Chicago, and Jerusalem “about being Jewish and German, and all the awkwardness that entails” (The Guardian).It’s the hottest of summers in Chicago, and fifteen-year-old Margarita is spending her vacation as usual, under the not-so-watchful eyes of her aging maternal grandparents... -
![Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin]()
Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe acclaimed author of the “lyrical coming-of-age novel” (Good Morning America) The People We Keep returns with a luminous new story of redemption, breaking generational curses, and the power of family in its truest form...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family coming-of-age friendship fiction contemporary audiobook small-town -
![Red Mountain by Boo Walker]()
Red Mountain by Boo Walker
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 24 ratings***A Pulpwood Queens Book Club SelectionHow well do we really know each other?Red Mountain in eastern Washington is home to a community of eccentrics. Otis Till, the area's visionary winemaker, has been known to howl at the moon--fully nude... -
![The Falling Leaf Never Hates the Wind by Tere Liye]()
The Falling Leaf Never Hates the Wind by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsHe is like an angel to our family. He saved me, my brother, and Mother from destitution and misery of street lives. He provided us with food, shelter, helped to pay for school, and promised a better future for us. He truly is like an angel to our family. He loves us, cares for us, and sets an example without expecting anything at all in return... -
![The Wolf Hunt by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen]()
The Wolf Hunt by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAward-winning author Ayelet Gundar-Goshen returns with a timely exploration of the fault lines in a community, a school, and a family, as a mother begins to suspect her teenage son of committing a terrible crime... -
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![Looking for Clara by Simona Grossi]()
Looking for Clara by Simona Grossi
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsClara is a successful lawyer in L.A. She moved to the West Coast after graduating from law school, leaving behind William, her best friend or more than that. Before she even settles in L.A., her law firm sends her to Siena, Italy, to work on a project for at least six months. This is the original plan. Once in Siena, though, Clara's life takes unexpected turns...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family literary-fiction friendship romance contemporary fiction mystery -
![I Love You, I Love You, I Love You by Laura Dockrill]()
I Love You, I Love You, I Love You by Laura Dockrill
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsElla and Lowe are teenagers when they first meet. For her, it’s love at first sight. But it’s safest to love from afar, where the friendship zone is her safety net and she can’t get hurt.Over the next fifteen years, they share grief, laughter, friendship, bottles of cider, cigarettes in the rain. But there’s one thing Ella can never ask whether he feels the same way about her...Categorized as:
coming-of-age literary-fiction friendship family romance fiction contemporary audiobook -
![High School Paradise by Orizuka]()
High School Paradise by Orizuka
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMemang sekolah elite, tapi masih ada satu yang kurang. Athens gak punya ekskul sepak bola. Empat anak paling top di Athens protes ama guru olahraga mereka, Gozali. Berhasil? Ternyata tidak. Hukuman Gozali malah semakin menjadi-jadi. Biar nggak penasaran, baca terus deh ceritanya sampai abis…...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship book contemporary fiction mental-illness young-adult -
![The Next Great Jane by K.L. Going]()
The Next Great Jane by K.L. Going
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom award-winning author K. L. Going comes a happily-ever-after story of a girl who discovers the true secret to all good writing--through an unlikely friendship, some well-intentioned matchmaking, and little bit of science... -
![The Promise: A Passionate Romance by M.V. Kasi]()
The Promise: A Passionate Romance by M.V. Kasi
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTwo billionaire brothers. Two village belles. A promise. A charade. And falling in love... Vikram and Vishal are the heirs to the well-known Saaho Group fortune. London bred and educated, the handsome brothers are accustomed to a jet-setting lifestyle while they win cutthroat business deals, date beautiful women and spend time with their doting family... -
![Somebody That I Used to Know by Dana L. Davis]()
Somebody That I Used to Know by Dana L. Davis
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn this fresh, addictive novel from the author of Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now , an aspiring musician is forced to reunite with her ex–best friend―who just happens to be the world’s biggest teen star. Dylan Woods hasn’t seen her best friend, Langston, in years. After he moved to Los Angeles, he ghosted her. Then he became Legendary, the biggest teen R&B artist on the planet...
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